Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters "kiss and find pressure"

I don't have to tell anyone where this comes from. Thing is, I only follow about half the patois.

Kissing lands is the half I get.

"Find pressure"?

work up to pressure signs/speeds you are comfey with...

You're looking for the speed you would expect if you weren't kissing lands?

or other pressure signs like sticky bolts, flattened primers, etc

not really. it's a judgement call. you cant safely get .300 WBY speeds without the WBY freebore/jump

Got it now. Thanks.

You can if you get a big enough case to load enough of a slow-burning powder in a long enough barrel. A specialty rifle no doubt; not something most would tote around the mountains in search of Elk.

yea, i suppose i should have quantified that by sayin' "you cant safely get .300 WBY speeds from a .300 WBY case without the WBY freebore/jump given equal barrel lengths, ect.."

the jist of the term 'kiss, find pressure, and rock on" is that you don't gotta agonize over load development by doing ladders lookin for nodes and schitt unless you are loading for a bench gun.

I hear ya Toad... ladder tests and all the OCW stuff makes me giggle.

Think of the countless millions that take to the deer woods every year and kill schitt with factory ammo.

I don't even load 308 ammo for my Montana to touch the lands. I load it to fit the mag box, then chrono until a 165 goes 2750ish FPS. Seems to work for me. [bleep] dies when I pull the trigger.

Yeah, but you're not a logger who kills dozens of blacktail deer at over a zillion yards and plays Super Dickhead on the Campfire.

Based on all that vast handloading experience you have, right?

"Kiss and find pressure" is meant to be the easy way to find your best load.

"Kiss the lands" (or if so restricted, seat to max length of mag box) means in fine tuning the load one can only go in one direction for bullet seating.

"Find pressure" means to load to the maximum that you feel is wise, either by chrono readings, pressure signs, book recommendations, or a combo of all. Most people want to run their rifle near max velocity, and most modern powders run best at top pressures. Again, this means one has only one direction to fiddle when looking to fine tune the load.

"Rock on," the neglected aspect of the quote, is a gentle reminder that most of us would gain more out of our riflery if we got off the couch, shot more from field positions, and quit fiddling with minutiae.

Regardless of what one thinks of the messenger, the message seems to be quite useful advice.

Excellent explanation Dakota.

The Rock On part is particularly good advice.

no sir... Based on the gazillions of loads that are developed at 100-200 yards and shoot great at extended ranges. Like the 87 VMAX load that I feed the 243, which I'm currently cool down after a little volley at 600.

Hey I know I'm still learning and there is absolutely a place for all of the ladder/ocw testing... But it seems that a ton of guys could achieve a great load much easier. That's all.

DakotaDeer,

The message isn't original with Super Dickhead, either. A number of experienced shooters have suggested it over the decades, usually with considerably less attitude.

Also, Dan is not one of those who sits around on the couch, not shooting.

I'm just ribbing you.

Heck, I'm jealous of you having a long range spot to shoot.

Nor is Stick.


Start at the lands (and if you can't reach it because of magazine constraints then you obviously start at what the belly will hold) and you only have one direction to worry about going.

and Stick isn't the only one here that 'suggests' concepts with considerable attitude.

just sayin...

We're on the same page, I got ya. It's great antelope practice up here at this spot, complete with wind